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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · ruler · mark · bass · bowl · rule · bark · bulb

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. shower — rain
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rule — a law
  20. bass — low music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com